Type-writing machine.



B. C. SHCKNEY. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9.

Patented Sept; 3, 1918.

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TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG.9| I91] I 1,277,500. PatentedSept. 3, 1918.

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B. C. STICKNEY.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.9. 19H

Iatvntvd Sept. 3, 1918. 3 SHEETS SHEEI 3 QNN ' Vii/messes- Original application filed October 20, 1911, Serial No. 655,698. Divided and this application filed August 9,

-UNITED STATES PATENT ourion.

BIIBNHAM C. STIGKNEY, F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD COM- PUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE. 1

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

1917. Serial No. 185,268.

a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly to means for controlling the character of printing.

In practice, it is sometimes desired. to have the writing in certain columns characteristically distinguished from that done in other columns. This may be done by printing the characters through ribbons of different colors.-

The distinctive printing may be accomplished according to a predetermined plan, to relieve the operative of the necessity of manually changing the character of printing; and a feature of the present invention is the provision of improved means for this purpose. Vhen typewriting is done in a certain zone, the printing will be in one color, and when in another zone, it will be in another color.

The control mechanism is controlled by the movement of the tabulating devices, which are used to locate the carriage at the proper position in each zone at which typewriting is to commence. This arrangement relieves the typewriter carriage of the burden of actually operating the ribbon-control mechanism, and is also advantageous in that the carnage may be traversed by hand without unnecessarily shifting the ribbon mechanism.

The traveling carriage is provided wlth a controller in the form of a leaf, which isoperated by movement of the tabulator keys to shift the bichrome ribbon mechanism, so

that when a type key is operated. the proper stripe of the bichrome ribbon will be interposed between'the type and the work carried by the platen. The mechanism for shifting the bichrome ribbon mechanism may comprise an arm resting on the leaf and controlled by the movementof the leaf. The leaf may be moved various amounts at the movements of the tabulator keys by means of a stepped pawl or jack. The leaf is also variouslystepped at the different zones to cooperate with the stepped jack. The

stepped jack which is operated by the tabulator keys and the stepped leaf carried by the carriage jointly and automatically control the character of printing which is to be done in each zone.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 655,698, filed October 20, 1911, (now Patent No. 1,237,572, dated August 21, 1917.)

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an Underwood typewriting machine. having a decimal t'abulator, and showing the present improvements applied thereto: the ribbon mechanism being shown in position for printing in black when the numeral keys are operated.

Fig. 2 should be read in connection with Fig. 1, and shows in elevation many of the new parts that have been added to the tabulating mechanism of the typewriter.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional rear elevation of.

tion when the carriage has been moved to another zone. the types still striking through the black ribbqn.

Fig. 8 is a similar view. showing the ribbon mechanism shifted so that the types will strike through the red ribbon when the car riage is in a special zone.

In the lfnderwood machine, numeral keys 1 depress levers 2 to vibrate bell cranks 3, and swing type bars 1 up to strike rearwardly against the front side of a platen 5. Said platen is mounted on a carriage 6. running on tracks 7, S, and is driven by a spring barrel 9. and also has a rack 10 meshing with a pinion 11 connected to an escape ment wheel 12, the escapement dogs being seen at 12. The rack 10 is hung on arms 13, so ,that it may be lifted from the pinion 11 to release the carriage. Decimal tabulator keys 11 are mounted upon levers 15, which at their rear ends. raise the stop rods 16, having stops 17 at their upper ends. These stops may cooperate with interflchangeably adjustable column stops 18, in-

serted, as required. in notches 19. 20, formed in the top and bottom of a bar 21, which is fixed to the carriage 6.

Each stop-rod has a shoulder 22 coiiperating with a universal bar 23, which rocks about a pivot 21. and has an arm 25. wlnch draws down a link 20 and vibrates a lever 27. the latter fulcrumed at 27 and carrying a roll 27 to run upon the under side of the rack bar 10, and lift the latter from the escapement pinion 11, whenever a key l-t-is depressed.

In theITnderwood typewritting machine, there is provided means for using either color of a bichrome ribbon. Each type bar 4 has a heel 76, which engages with a universal bar '76, carried upon a frame 77 which operates escapement dogs 12 in the usual manner. Upon said universal bar frame 77 is a frame 78 comprising slides 83 which operate the ribbon vibrator 79 by means of pins 80, 81. fast on the lever 82, said pms engaging slots in frame 78, so as to cause said lever 82 to swing about its Said vipivot 82 in the usual manner.

brator is described in detail in a co-pending case, No. 569,502, filed Julie 29, 1910. The color used is determined by the position of the pins 80, 81. which serve to turn lever '82 operating said vibrator 79 about its fulcrum. If the upper pin 80 is used. the throw of the vibrating lever 82 is small, and only the upper part of the ribbon comes between the type and the platen. This is usually black. If the lower pin 81 is used, the throw is much greater and the lower part of the ribbon comes between the type and theplaten. This is usually red.

The arrangement of said pins is clearly shown in elevation in Fig. 3, and in plan in Fig. 4. Here it will be seen that they are adapted to be engaged by either of the slides 83 of the universal bar frame 77. shiftable by alink 85. This latter link 85 is pivoted at 86 on an arm 87 of a shaft 88, having the usual color-keys 89 and 90.

Also pivoted to said'arm 87 is a. link 91, which, through bell crank 92 and link 93, is moved by arm 94 fast on controlshaft 95. This shaft. in a manner hereinafter described, is moved automatically through the movements of the tabulating keys, and also through the connections just described, to

control the ribbon color.

a tabular nature can be done involving mixed operations of black writing and red writing. without any attention on the part of the operator beyond pressing the tabulator keys after the typewriter is set for the given kind of work.

Mounted above rack bar 21 and pivotally supported at 101 at each end of the carriage, is a leaf 103 controllable by the tabulator keys to set the parts for shifting the ribbon to its appropriate color. An arm 105 of a bell crank 106 pivoted-in the main frame at 107 is arranged to bear against the leaf 103, and by an arm 108 turns the control shaft 95, which latter controls-the ribbon mechanism. A returning spring 108 presses the arm 108 reanvardly. and consequently arm 10:") down upon said leaf. 'Said leaf 103 is moved up by the rack release link 26. and therefore by the tabulator keys as they return to normal positions. through an arm, rest or jack 109 pivoted on a lever 110, which latter is pivoted to the rack release link 26 at 112 and fulcrumed on the main frame 111. Said arm 109 is pulled by a spring 113 against a pin or rest 114, which guidesit, and said spring-will always raise said arm when the tabulator key is released, so that the step or pawl 115 or 110 near its upper end 117 may strike on an edge of the leaf 103. if it falls within its line of travel.

In Fig. 3 is shown the leaf 103 raised (as viewed from the back) and in Fig. 2 it is shown in the same position in section. Parts of the edge are cut away as at 118, 119, 119, while parts 120, 120 are of full width. Said full width parts 120 are -adapted to-be' struck by the step or pawl positioned that part 118 of the leaf 103 (cut to an intermediate height) is opposite the jack 109, then the lower pawl 115 will be the only part of said jack whose line of travel will fall within said leaf 103, and

the leaf will be raised to the intermediate position shown in Fig. 1. In that position the control shaft will he so turned that the ribbon will write black.

At Fig. 5, a tabulator key is depressed and the jack 109 is opposite a deeply cutaway portion 119 of the leaf 103. When,

- therefore, theftabulator key is released, and the jack 109 allowed torise, it will do so -without striking the leaf 103, becausethe latter is at this point cut away to 119. In that case, the jack 109 will rise idly above .the leaf 103, and the normal condition of the ribbon mechanismythat is, the condition for writing'black will not be. changed.

In order to prevent the'leaf 103 from fouling withthe jack 109, the transition from one edge .to. another in the width of the leaf 103 is beveled, as shown in Fig. 3, at 121,121, which will press the jack 109 out in passing it, and so prevent the machine from being injured or the carriage from being-locked.

, The operation of the machine is as follows: Vith the carriage set as inv Fig. 3,

near the beginning of a line, the operator has pressed and released a tabulator key,

" whereby the control shaft 95 has been moved to pull back thelink 97, causing the shaft 95 to move the slide 83 (as viewed in Fig. 4) to the left, to engage the pin 81 either pawl 115, 116, of the jack 109, but

-.the control shaft 95 for the purposeex-- and bring the red portion of the ribbon into operation. Accordingly, the type keys'are operated to writethe number in red.

By pressing and releasing'another tabulator key, the carriage is shifted to: the

second column-stop. The leaf 103 is cut away at 119, so it will not be caught by remains as shown in Fig. 5. The arm 105 is held down by the spring 108%, and the control shaft 95 remains in normal position, andthe arm 9-l on said shaft holds the ribbon mechanism in position for writing black. The desired numbers are then written. Then a tabulator key is pressed, and

the carriage is brought to rest against the third stop. The. jack 109 rises with the release of the tabulator key, and strikes its pawl 115 against-the portion 118 of 103. This will raise said leaf to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the arm 105 will shift plained in my application No. 655,698. filed October 20, 1911, of which this is a division. The control shaft 95 in so shifting moves the link 85 of ribbon-shifting mechanism, but not sui'licientlyto cause the ribbon to Ichange, so the color remains black.

Other similar results 'follow the pressing of the tabulator keys, until the end. of the line is reachedf In the machine as illustrated, the last operation is printed in red.

If the carriage at the end of a line is now pushed back by hand", the broad part of the leaf 103 will ride on the pawl 116 of the jack 109 until a narrowpart of 119"of' said leaf is reached. Then said leaf 103 will fall into its lowest position,comp'letely free of the rest 109 and the carriagemay be moved to begin the next line; the parts resuming their normal positions.

position rests on stops 122; and the keys 89 and 90 or the handle 102 may be used to control any desired ribbon color, provided a tabulator key is not depressed. Or, if the leaf 103 is removed, the machine may be used as ordinarily with the manual ribbon shift, and also with'the additional manual shift lever 102. 7

None of the figures shows all the parts in normal positions. At- Fig. 5 the leaf 103 is in normal position, but the jack 109 is shown in its lowest position. The normal position of this jack is the same as at Fig. 2, but in this figure the leaf is shown swung up. \Vhenever any tabulator key is depressed, the jack is drawn down from normal position'idlyto the position seen at Fig. 5; the pawl edges riding over the edge of the leaf. As the jack reachesits lowest position, the spring 113. snaps it under the leaf 103(which at this time is in its normal position);

Fig. 5 position. WVhile they are in this position, the carriage travels until arrested by contact of the next column-stop 18 with that denomination stop 16 which has been elevated at the tabulating operation. The

tabulator key is then released, restoring the control of the letter-feeding mechanism over the carnage, and also permitting spring. 113,

aided by the. returning spring usually coiled around the shaft 21 (Fig. 1) to lift the jack 109, together with the leaf 103, to the Fig. 2 position; in which position these parts remain during the ensuing movement of the carriage in letter-feeding direction (with the ribbon mechanism shifted to write red.) until the end of the ledge120 is reached, whereupon the leaf trips off from the jack anddrops to normal position, the color of the ribbon changing to black. If, after the completion of any tabulating'. operation, there should be a gap in the-leaf above the jack, the latter, of course, will not, when rising, affect the leaf, but the latter will remain in normal position. If at any time the operator should desire to set-the carriage back to write in any colu1nn,-the preferable method} would be to run the carriage back an excessive distance, and then use the tabulating mechanism to bring the carriage to the desired position; so 'as to get the benefitof the condition-controlling function of the tabulating mechanism and hence have the or red printing, a member to engage said carriage device and set it to effective position, and means dependent upon the movement of the tabulating mechanism for controlling said member.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage and tabulating mechanism therefor, of ribbon mechanism shiftable to cause either black or red printing, a normally inoperative device upon the'carriage for determining whether the ribbon mechanism shall be shifted to cause red or black printing, a member to engage said car riage device and set it to effective position and hold it there during travel OftlIQ carriage, and means dependent upon the movement of the tabulating mechanism for controlling said member.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, of ribbon mechanism settable to cause the machine to print either in red or black, a spring for normally holding said settable mechanism in position to cause black printing, a latch for holding said settable mechanism in position to cause red printing, and means controlled bysaid carriage for tripping said latch.

4. In a typewriting machine, a carriage, shiftable ribbon mechanism, a leaf movable on said carriage,.tab1.1lator keys cooperative with stops to release and set said carriage, means moved by said tabulator keys to control said leaf, and an arm moved by said leaf to shift the ribbon mechanism.

5. In a typewriting machine, a tabulating device, a shiftable ribbon mechanism, a leaf on the carriage of typewriter controlled by said tabulating device, and means governed by said leaf to shift said ribbon mechanism.

6. In a typewriting machine, a typewriter carriage, a ribbon-shifting means, a tabulating key, a jack moved to inoperative position by' said key, a pawl on said jack, a

leaf on the typewriter carriage havingparts adapted to be intercepted by said pawl, a spring moving said jack to operative position, an arm governed by said leaf, and a shaft moved by said arm to operate the ribbon-shifting means.

7 In a ty'pewriting machine, a typewriter carriage, a. decimal tabulating device having keys, a ribbon shift mechanism, a leaf on. said carriage controlled by the keys of the tabulating device, a shaft controlling said ribbon shift mechanism, and an arm on said shaft controlled by said leaf.

8. In a typewriting machine, a typewriter carriage, a mechanism capable of doing more than one kind of work, a decimal tabulatingdevice having keys, a leaf on said carriage controlled by the keys of said tabulating device, a. shaft. an arm on the shaft, a bell crank moved by the leaf on the carriage to move said arm, and means moved by the shaft to control the said mechanism.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combinat1on with a carriage, numeral keys and types, of a ribbon mechanism operated by said keys, said mechanism shiftable to change the characteristic of the impressions made by the types, manually operated mechanism directly connected to the charactcristic-changing mechanism for operating the same while the carriage is stationary, and means to effable the carriage to control the return of the characteristic-changing mechanism to normal condition.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combiw nation with a carriage, of a ribbon mechanism convertible to different conditions, a manually operable member, and means under the joint ontrol of said carriage and said manually operable'member to be operable alternately thereby for effecting a succession of conversions of said ribbon mechanism during a single run of said carriage.

- 11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage, of a ribbon mechanism convertible to different conditions, a manually operable member, and means under manually operable member for effectin a succession of converslons of said rib on mechanism during a single run of said carriage; said carriage having means for detercondition a succession of times during each run of the carriage' 12. In a typewriting machine, the combi nation with numeral keys and ribbon mechanism, of means whereby said keys cause the printin to be done in a light color or a dark olor, a atch for holding said means in posi-.

tion to cause printing 1n one of the colors, tabulatmg keys, and a universal bar operated by said tabulating keys for controlling.

said latch.

- 13. The combination with a carria e and tabulating mechanism therefor inc uding keys, of a-color-shifting ribbon mechanism,

the joint control of said carriage and said.

and means onnected to said tabulating keys to be operated thereby after the advance of the carriage at the tabulating operation has been completed, for effecting the shift of-the ribbon mechanism from one color to another.

15. The combination with a carriage and tabulating mechanism therefor, of a colorshifting ribbon mechanism, a member connected to the tabulating mechanism and normally occupying an effective position, and

a normally-inoperative device upon the car riage for controlling the shifting of the ribbon mechanism, said member controllable by sthe tabulator key to engage said carriage deviceand set it to effective position.

16. The combination with a carriage and tabulating mechanism therefor, of a colorshifting ribbon mechanism, a member connected to the tabulating mechanism and nor mally occupying an efl'ective position, and a normally-inoperative device upon the car- Piage for controlling the shifting of the ribbon mechanism, said member controllable by the tabulator key to engage said carriage device and set it to effective position, and hold it there during the travel of the-carria e.

, l The combination with a carriage and tabulating mechanism therefor, of ribbon mechanism including means for determining whet-her the ribbon mechanism shall cause printing in one color or in another color, and means connected to the tabulating mechanism to be operated thereby after the carriage has come to rest at the completion. of a tabulating operation, for setting said determining means.

18. The combination with a carriage, a

tabulator, and tabulator operating mechanism therefor, of ribbon mechanism including means for determining Whether the ribbon mechanism shall cause printing in one color or in another color, and means connected to the tabulator operating mechanism I to be operated thereby after the carriage tabulating ofieration has been completed, for setting sai determining means and maintaining it in adjusted position during the ensuing traverse of a zone by the carriage; means being provided for automatically returning said determining means to normal position.

BURNHAM C. STI-OKNEY. Witnesses:

EDITH B. 'LIBBEY, ANDREW A. JoHNsoN. 

